October 2006 - Writers Magazine

A Creative Commons license has worked well for the Friday Project on Tom Reynolds’Blood, Sweat and Tea. The free download has led to 20,000 downloads but sales of nearly 30,000 copies.

'If Sobol manages to get the 50,000 entries that they reckon will constitute the cut-off, the competition will earn $4,250,000, a very good return for setting up a small website, doing a bit of judging and awarding a $100,000 prize.'

News Review looks at last week's Frankfurt Book FairWorld's largest trade fair for books; held annually mid-October at Frankfurt Trade Fair, Germany; First three days exclusively for trade visitors; general public can attend last two., the biggest annual gathering of publishers in the world.

As a teenager growing up in Brazil in the late seventies, Orlando Paes Filho dreamt up the idea of Angus, now coming to fruition as a seven-volume epic tale spanning twelve centuries of human history. News Review investigates.

News Review on Oxfam's new bookshop: 'For many people, donating unwanted books to an international charity which will use them to raise money is a good way of dealing with the stacks of books they are never going to read again. Supporting Oxfam makes them feel good too.'

'Women need the grown-up fairy stories of romantic fiction in order to make the random cruelty of everyday life more bearable.' Daisy Goodwin in the Sunday Times, talking about her TV series, Reader, I Married Him.

Even experienced publishers sometimesthrow caution to the winds after being caught up in the excitement of a bidding war conducted via frenzied conversations in a crowded hall.' Anne Louise Fisher, London literary scout

'The more critically successful a writer becomes, the more need there is for a strong editor. To think otherwise risks artistic suicide.' Alan Garner, author of The Weirdstone of Brisingamen in The Times

'Publishers need to make their sites more welcoming and rewarding to those tiny percentages of readers who do visit.' Peter Collingridge in the Bookseller

Maureen Kincaid Spellera reviewer, writer, editor and former librarian, is our book reviewer and also works for WritersServices as a freelance editor. reviews Noah Lukeman's interesting book:

'He invites writers to look at the way in which they construct sentences, and to do so with minute attention... Lukeman has an extremely keen and sensitive eye for sentence structure and a neat way of explaining things.'

It can be hard work finding an agent to represent you. Make sure though that, when you set up the relationship, you do so in a professional manner. Our new page shows you how to get the most out of this key relationship.

Our new competition spirits you into the the world of poetry. Enter now and win a copy of the brand-new Poetry Writers' Yearbook.

Writers' ForumBritish writers' magazine which is highly recommended for all writers. It features wide range of news and articles which help writers to improve their work and get published: www.writers-forum.com Column

John Jenkins on the how the successes of authors like Marisha Pressl and Michael Cox show that reading writers' books is not the only way; Google; a farewell to May Hogarth; and spy thrillers:

'There is no doubt that a good instruction book can short circuit your improvement as a writer. But really you teach yourself.'

New agency listings

New on the site - the bang up-to-date 2007 Writers' and Artists' Yearbook worldwide agency listings. Check out the UK and Ireland, US and international agencies lists

Shows how the bestselling crime writer used the book to help him find a publisher:

'Getting into print requires nerve, stamina, luck, stubbornness and talent. Even established authors can feel as though they’re climbing a mountain. Think of the Writers and Artists’ Yearbook as your sherpa.'

WritersPrintShop

We have revamped our WritersPrintShop website with lots more information. If you're thinking about self-publishing, this is the place to find out what's involved. If you're ready to go ahead, our high quality service is second to none and there's an economy version for those who want to tackle some of the work themselves. You can estimate the cost for yourself.